Edward Badalian

Case Summary

Federal prosecutors allege that Edward Badalian conspired over the encrypted chat-app Telegram to travel to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, carrying "weapons and tactical gear" such as a "taser, pepper spray, a baseball bat, gas masks, and walkie talkies" to ultimately disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election. In December 2020, after then-President Donald Trump called for a rally on Jan. 6, 2021, Badalian allegedly messaged a Telegram group called PATRIOTS 45 MAGA Gang and said, "we need to violently remove traitors and if they are in key positions rapidly replace them with able bodied Patriots." Prosecutors allege that Badalian was traveling with another defendant, Daniel Rodriguez, and that Rodriguez wrote to the chat on Jan. 5, 2021: "There will be blood. Welcome to the revolution." On the day of the riot, Badalian, Rodriguez and others gathered by the western side of the U.S. Capitol, court documents state. Rodriguez has been accused of using an "electroshock weapon" to attack an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, identified by various news sources to be Mike Fanone. Rodriguez is also accused of using a flagpole as a weapon and breaking into the Capitol building. Badalian also allegedly breached the Capitol through a broken window. Two days after the riot, prosecutors allege, Badalian called into an Infowars show under the pseudonym "Turbo" and claimed he fought off a man from the anti-fascist movement antifa who was breaking windows at the Capitol. (There is no evidence that antifa supporters participated in the Capitol riot.) Though Badalian allegedly used the name "Turbo" to conceal his identity, a subsequent caller referred to him as "Ed" on the Infowars broadcast.

Case History

Badalian pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Bench trial began 2/28/2023 and concluded 3/6/2023. He was found Guilty of three charges: Conspiracy; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds. Found Not Guilty of Tampering with Documents. Sentenced on 9/26/2023 to 51 Months Incarceration; Supervised Release of 36 Months; Special Assessment of $225; $2,000 In Restitution; 100 hours of community service. On 9/16/2024, the Court vacated two convictions: Conspiracy; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting. The fourth count stays and his sentence changed to 12 months incarceration; 12 months supervised release. Badalian received a full pardon on January 20, 2025

Sources

• Primary Documentation
  NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR
• Primary Documentation
  Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR
• Supporting Reporting
  NPR video evidence pageNPR

Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.